perturbed

[ per-turbd ]

adjective

1. feeling or showing great concern or mental or emotional upset:

   The heaviness of his step and the perturbed expression on his face told us that the captain was not in the best of moods.

2. greatly disordered or deranged:

   He keeps using the same nonsensical phrases and the same perturbed logic, with no sense of the context of the discussion.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of perturb ( def ).

Other Words From

• per·turb·ed·ly [per-, tur, -bid-lee], adverb
• per·turb·ed·ness noun
• un·per·turbed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of perturbed¹

perturb + -ed ²

Example Sentences

He did not seem to perturbed, however, adding: “I am looking to be very supportive of his nomination.”

From Salon

“We have two granddaughters who live over there and they were a bit perturbed by having 200 people staring at their house. But no, they were very good.”

From BBC

Far from being perturbed by this prospect, Azi seemed excited at the thought that out of the smouldering ashes of democracy, new kings would emerge: corporate dictators ruling over their networked empires.

From BBC

It failed awkwardly, leaving legislative leaders perturbed at the governor.

From Los Angeles Times

White is hoping the issue is fixed, but he was a bit perturbed at the company’s use of “briefly” to describe the honking.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• annoyed
• irritated